


Looking Back

by Erikthonius



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alex - Freeform, All your favorites are dead by the end, But it's set seventy years in the future so what did you expect, Except for Magnus, M/M, Thalia - Freeform, and the gods, family life, since they’re immortal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2020-11-27 23:00:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20956331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erikthonius/pseuds/Erikthonius
Summary: Will and Nico at the end of their lives (and maybe a bit beyond)





	1. Prelude

Hades hated red tape. All the gods hated red tape. His two brothers usually just ignored it, but somehow his domain was clogged with it. It was more than the overflow from the Styx, where mortals still dumped their dreams, both good and bad. You’d think that, given the waning of the Olympians’ influence over the last two millennia, the red tape would ease up over time, but, at least in the underworld, the backlog was increasing. It was time to do some delegating.

Then there was the matter of an ever-increasing workload. Certainly there were other post death destinations, and his own domain wasn’t always the most popular (hard as it was to think of the Underworld as popular), but the traffic flow was seeing a rise like it hadn’t seen since the Renaissance, with its obsession with the old Greek ways.

He’d not shied away from sending his son on various quests in the past, but Nico was over 80 at this point, and there was a limit even with the vitality of a demigod. It was time to take steps.

The fact was, after a rocky beginning, the god of the underworld was very fond of the last of his demigod children. He realized that he could see the best aspects of himself reflected in this son of his, so unlike so many of his previous children, who’d seemed only to inherit the coldness tinged with madness of his divine character.

As he thought more about it, he thought that some of that had to do with Nico’s mother. Maria di Angelo had been an incredible woman, so perceptive, so wise, so loving that she’d won over Persephone as well. 

Then there was Nico’s husband. Hades had been so shocked to discover himself actually liking a son of that insufferable Apollo. Rather like Nico, Will seemed only to have inherited the best of his godly father’s attributes. Hades could still remember a burnt offering of some excellent pecan pie from before the two boys had even started dating. Through the years, as his son-in-law had achieved fame in the medical field, he’d never overstepped the bounds that his half-brother Asclepius had trespassed, always deferring to Hades’ advice on which deaths couldn’t be avoided, even as it had hurt him to lose patients.

=====

“How can you overlook the insult that boy’s mother represented to you?” Demeter asked angrily.

“Oh, my husband knows quite well how I felt about that woman," replied Persephone cooly, clutching a bouquet of agapanthus. "Besides that, I can’t touch the boy while he walks the earth. In the winter, I’m too far away, and in the summer, his father-in-law protects him. If he dies a mortal, he’ll be under my Lord husband’s jurisdiction, and I still won’t be able to touch nim. As an Underworld lieutenant, he’ll be answerable to me as well.”

“My daughter, you make me proud. Perhaps being married to my brother has taught you some useful skills in strategy after all.” Demeter laughed and vanished in a cloud of flour (organic whole wheat, non-GMO, of course).

“Useful skills in strategy, indeed,” came a deep voice from a shadow. “She swallowed it.”

“Hook, line, and sinker, as your brother would so predictably say.” Persephone laughed. “We have enough votes on the Olympian Council to get those sweet boys apotheosized. Athena still talks about your son dragging her statue around and Artemis refers to them as male, but tolerable, like that’s fooling anyone.”

“Hestia, the only one of my siblings worth anything, drops into their house for dinner at least once a month (she loves Italian cooking, what can I say?), I just got back from the Isle of the Blessed, and that Jackson brat said he’d put in a word with his father. I know Apollo will go along, but I’m going to wait until right before the vote to ask him, because otherwise he won’t shut up about it, and that will just piss everybody off. You’d think after being made mortal three times he’d actually learn to keep his mouth shut.” Hades rolled his eyes as well as any teenager could.

“Zeus will vote against it, of course. You know he never wants any but his own children to be granted godhood. I think I’ll stir up Hera against it as well. You know she’ll make some remark about their marriage not being ‘traditional,” and that will guarantee that Dionysus will vote in our favor. You know how protective he is about LGBT+ mortals.”

“Wife of mine, your mother is correct about one thing. You are a brilliant strategist.”

Persephone snorted, rather out of character. “Don’t forget, husband, that it was my idea to convince Hecate to lead my mother on that wild goose chase when we first eloped so that we could have an undisturbed honeymoon.”

Not for the first or even the hundred thousandth time in the millenia they’d been married, Hades looked at his wife with awe. Because she was the goddess of flowers, she was thought of as soft and weak, but Hades thought of mountains reduced to soft soil by the delicate mosses growing on them. He looked at Persephone and smiled. This was not the smile that reduced hordes to a darker terror than his helm of darkness. This was a gentle warm smile, a smile that was mirrored up in the mortal world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As Persephone knows, agapanthus symbolizes hidden love.


	2. Getting the House Ready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Nico reminisce while they get their house ready for their holiday party.

Nico smiled warmly as he watched his husband hang the last of the decorations on the tree. Will moved stiffly, but surely, his eighty some years not weighing him down as much as they might. Although time had whitened and thinned the blond ringlets and dulled the blue eyes, in Nico’s eyes he was still the most beautiful man to walk this earth.

It had been a tradition for many years now, having their own and their friends’ children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren now come in for what they called an “early Christmas party,” but somehow was always held on the winter solstice. Will and Nico liked to honor the pagan holidays, and it had the added benefit that their fathers were not likely to summon them unexpectedly, being busy on Olympus.

As they prepared their house for the annual party, they reminisced. It had been a good life they’d made together, sometimes in spite of everything. There had been triumphs, sometimes save-the-world in scope and sometimes just the simple triumph of being able to wake up in the morning together.

There had been fights as well. Nico had more of a temper, clinging to that Italian side of himself, and Will was so much the pacifist, but when he was truly roused, he could be a terror, flinging plates with the frightening aim that only a child of Apollo had. Fortunately, Nico was lithe and could usually dodge them, but the few times he actually got hit, Will would immediately switch from anger to frantic apology, healing every cut and bruise and swearing that he’d never do anything like that again. In truth, it had been a long time since they’d really fought. Having a life together smoothed out their differences. Truth to tell, Will even got snarkier and Nico got sappier.

As Will worked to hang pine boughs, Nico put on some music to set the mood. He knew that Will wanted cheesy Christmas carols, whereas he still preferred listening to techno, even though it was more than a half century out of fashion. As a compromise, he put on what he referred to as the ‘family mix.’ It started with some compositions of Will’s brother Austin, a mix of classical and jazz, recorded by a Grammy Award winning string ensemble called Hydrophobia. Both Will and Nico had laughed when they realized that the group had been made up of Austin’s four ex-husbands and eight ex-wives. After that came an old album by Will’s mother, Naomi. Naomi Solace had never won a Grammy; her music was a little too quirky, but she’d had a devoted following in her life, and this album had been a chart topper for a while. Nico wondered how many people, even among their friends knew that the album, called ‘Sun and Shade,’ was all about his and Will’s life. Well, maybe his close friends could tell, what with the opening being Naomi’s version of the Delphic Hymn to Apollo that Will had sung to heal Nico that first night in the infirmary, the inclusion of an old Italian lullaby (one of the few memories of Nico’s mother that he’d never lost to the River Lethe), and the last song being ‘Statue of Ice,’ the song that Naomi had written about the two of them so long ago. (Even now, that song was one of the few things that could make Nico tear up, just a little.)

As Will heard the familiar sound of his mother’s voice, he came over and put his arms around his husband. “Feeling nostalgic, are we?”

Nico snuggled into his husband’s arms. They were no longer corded with firm muscle, but there was nowhere on earth that made him feel safer. “I guess I’m in that kind of mood.”

“You’ve turned into a sap in your old age,” Will teased him.

“I’m entitled. I’m a hundred and seventy according to my birth certificate.” Nico could still pull off the best smirks.

“And yet you still look fabulous.” Will took the opportunity to plant a kiss on Nico’s cheek.

“Flatterer.” Nico smiled up at his husband and then looked down at the pine needles on the floor. “Well, you’ve made a mess as usual, and I’ve got to clean it up.” There was no rancor in his voice as he said it. 

Then he hobbled into the kitchen to get a broom. A lifetime of fighting monsters had taken a toll on his knees, so he frequently used a cane when he walked. He was still a fighter, and the cane had a Stygian iron blade concealed in it, but he mostly used it to ease the strain on his abused knees (or to threaten the door to door religious types). As he came back into the living room to sweep up the mess on the floor, he looked out the window. Usually when he looked at the sun streaming through the window, he thought of Apollo, sometimes as his somewhat overbearing father-in-law, sometimes as the first god he’d met when he was taken to Camp Half Blood, sometimes as the pathetic Lester Papadopoulos, but this time, as he held the broom and looked up into the sky, he performed a ritual that he’d done for many years, especially now that Percy and Annabeth were no longer around to do it. Very softly, he whispered at the open window, “Bob says ‘hello, Sun’,” and one tear crept down his cheek.

As he wiped away that tear, he thought, “Will is right, I am getting sentimental in my old age. First that song of Naomi’s, now this.” Then he reflected that about now, Will would be performing a ritual of his own and would be needing kleenex and comforting soon.

In the privacy of his study, Will sat at his desk and prepared himself. He did this every year as the winter solstice approached and sometimes more often if he needed it. Nico had taught him how to do it, and it always helped. First he lit two candles, one yellow for his father and one black for his father-in-law. Then he sat before the candles (he used to kneel, but his octogenarian joints made that impossible), cleared his mind, and began to recite names. “Becca, Lee, Tegan, Castor, Christian, Michael…” the list was so long by now, but he had to do it. He had to recite the name of everyone his own healing powers and skills hadn’t been enough to save. The tears rolled down his cheeks as he went down the list, never omitting one name, praying for Elysium for his fellows from Camp Half Blood and New Rome and other appropriate afterlives for his other friends and patients. As he rocked in sorrow, he knew that Nico would be waiting outside the door to the study to comfort him when he was done with this, but both of them knew how important it was that not a single name be forgotten.

Sure enough, when Will came out of his study, Nico was waiting for him, a box of kleenex at the ready. (“I’m not washing snot out of my shirt, thank you.”) After Will had dried his tears and blown his nose, his husband pulled him into the bedroom. They enjoyed the embrace for a long while; the days of frantic love-making after Will’s ritual of mourning may have been gone, but there was still that fire between them. After, as they lay together on their bed, Will noticed a slightly distant look in Nico’s eyes.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Just remembering our first big fight.”

Will also remembered that. They’d had spats before, even some serious ones, but this was the worst, complete with shouts and flying plates. It was the first time that Nico had said those words to Will that his own father had said to him.

“Some deaths can’t be prevented.”

Will had understood that about demigods in battles, but this was different. This was the first time he’d lost a mortal child, Shelly was her name, just some poor kid who’d had a skull fracture as the result of some stupid playground accident. She’d been in a coma, and Will was brought in as the bright young surgeon who’d already performed so many miraculous cures. He’d worked so hard, removing so many tiny bone fragments. He decided that he’d create some distraction so that the other medical staff wouldn’t see his glowing hands, but just as he managed to get them focused elsewhere just enough for the Mist to cover what he was doing, he heard Nico’s voice calling from the shadows, telling him that Thanatos had already made the call. In that moment, the monitors went off, announcing that the poor girl was beyond saving.

Will was furious. He left the OR and signed himself out, heading straight home. He raged at Nico, saying he didn’t understand. (Ironic, given that at this point, Nico was specializing in end of life care himself as well as the many losses he’d suffered.) Poor Nico tried to be reasonable, pointing out that all mortals (and demigods) died. He reminded Will that Hades’ word was final and that he didn’t want Will to suffer the fate of Asclepius. The more reasonable Nico was, the more furious Will became. Eventually heated words gave way to blind rage. Rage gave way to actions. Will seized anything that came to hand and flung it in blind rage. Since they were in the kitchen, that would be crockery. It was only after one of the flung dishes smacked Nico in the chest that Will collapsed in tears, frantically offering apologies and bemoaning his own incompetence as a healer. As with every emotional scene between them, this one ended in the bedroom.

“I still remember when that plate hit you. I wanted to cut my arm off then and there.”

“As I recall, it was a cereal bowl. That figures. I think Demeter still hates me.” Nico laughed at the thought.

“I also remember what you said when you came back from Shelly’s judgement.” Nico had felt so bad for Will that he actually went down to the Underworld to plead the little girl’s case before the Judges of the Dead.

“She asked me to thank you. She said you worked so hard to make sure she didn’t suffer at the end.” Nico said it in a tight voice before he grabbed for the kleenex box again. Gods, they had both turned into such sappy old farts, he thought.

Will seemed to be a little calmer. As he stroked his husband’s hair affectionately, he said, “You were the one who taught me that death is not the enemy, but suffering is.”

Nico smiled at him. “Well that certainly made family dinners a little less tense.” Those times that Hades and Persephone had come to their house for dinner were awkward at first. When Nico introduced them, Hades said, “A healer son of Apollo,” and gave Will an unpromising look of appraisal.

Will hastened to assure his prospective father-in-law that he had no intention of overstepping the way Asclepius had, which seemed to bring the tension down, although Persephone still remained taciturn.

The first dinners went that way, tension high and conversation strained until the time that Will came home to find Nico fuming as he raced around the house trying to get it ready.

“Judging from the petals you’re sweeping up, I’d say that Persephone dropped in a little early,” Will said, trying to calm Nico down.

“How did you guess?” Nico seethed. “My step-mother appeared in her usual cloud of flowers and announced that her mother would also be joining us for dinner tonight. I’m going to end the evening as either a stalk of wheat or as a fucking dandelion.”

“Breathe, Nico. You were planning making bucatini all'Amatriciana weren’t you?” Nico nodded. “I’ll run to the store and get some seven-grain baguettes and some whole wheat pasta.” Nico relaxed a little at that, although he was sure that a hundred generations of di Angelos were threatening to rise from the Underworld at the mere mention of that blasphemy, whole wheat pasta.

The dinner went surprisingly well. Demeter was pleased by the meal. She even acted as if the guanciale in the sauce were in her honor, pigs being one of her sacred animals. (Persephone gave a small eye roll at that). When the elder goddess remarked on the seven-grain bread and whole wheat pasta, Will started off on a talk about the importance of whole grains in a healthy diet. (Now all three of the others rolled their eyes.) Demeter was charmed by this, so Will suggested that he give her a tour of the house as they continue the conversation. As he led the goddess out of the dining room, he turned and shot Nico a quick wink.

Persephone did not miss the wink. When her mother was out of earshot, she leaned over to Nico and said, “I like that boy. You should keep him.” 

It got better after that. When Will and Demeter returned, the goddess actually didn’t scowl at Hades, and then, better still, announced that she had to leave early to watch over an anti-GMO protest in California. After she disappeared (leaving oats scattered on the living room rug, Nico noted sourly), Will heaved a sigh of relief and sagged into a chair.

“I was afraid I’d have to serve granola bars for dessert,” he breathed.

Both Hades and Persephone looked alarmed.

“Not to worry,” Will continued. “I made my usual.”

Will Solace couldn’t do much in the kitchen, but his grandmother had taught him how to make pecan pie, and he always served it when Nico’s father and step-mother came for dinner. Nico didn’t know why this was the dessert of choice, but it was always well received. To his dying day, Will never told him about giving Hades a burnt offering of the pie the first day of the infamous three days in the infirmary. No words were ever said, but this was ever after a special, secret bond between Will and Nico’s father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guanciale (made from cured hog jowls) is the meat in bucatini all'Amatriciana (which, if you are not opposed to eating pork products, is delicious), and swine were part of the traditional sacrifice to Demeter, so she would react to that dish much in the same way that Apollo did to Sally's seven-layer dip in "The Hidden Oracle."


	3. The Hearth

While Will went out to the yard to bring in firewood, Nico made sure the ashes were cleared from the fireplace. Will and Nico’s hearth was a special place. Of course it was. The one deity who was in their house even more than their godly fathers was Hestia. From his first days at Camp Half Blood, Nico had had a close relationship with the Goddess of the Hearth, and as soon as the boys began living together, Hestia had come by for dinner every month. She loved Nico’s cooking.

Even their mortal friends commented on how it was so warm and inviting. There was this one friend, Sage. Somehow, she’d attached herself to the boys shortly after they’d moved into the neighborhood and announced that she wanted to open their eyes to ‘the hidden world just behind the mundane one.’ She declared herself a spiritual being and assured everyone that she had the sight, but she seemed oblivious to the occasional monster that would wander into the neighborhood looking for a fight or the nymphs who would drop by to make sure that the boys were taking proper care of their yard. Will got a little tired of her diatribes about how modern medicine was all a scam and that her collections of tinctures could cure more than any hospital could. (At least she wasn’t an anti-vaxxer. There was no way he’d ever allow anyone like that near their children.) Nico, on the other hand, found her a great source of fun, especially when she’d boast about her ability to sense spirits. Once, as a prank, he raised a couple of ghosts and let them wander around the house while Sage was over for tea. She showed no response whatsoever, so he decided to go one farther. Will came into the room and a look of horror seized his face as he saw Nico brandishing his Stygian iron sword at their guest. Her response...

“Nico, put the broom down and have another cup of tea. It has pomegranate extract in it.” (By the way, it didn’t. Nico knew that taste too well.)

At any rate, even Sage referred to their hearth as the focal point of the house.

Now with their demigod friends and their children it was another matter. From time to time, these friends would see someone, young or old but always female, seated by the fireplace, and they would bow and acknowledge Hestia. For the children, it was a little different. Traditionally, the children of Greek demigods were mortal (unless, like the Zhang family, their godly progenitor would bestow a permanent inheritance on a line), while the Romans adhered to legacy, so the godly traits could persist. After the war with Gaea, the lines between the two cultures became blurred, so some of the Greek children would inherit some of their parents’ demigod traits. It was impossible to predict which children would and which wouldn’t, but Nico in particular noticed something. When the children were small, they’d all talk about “the Lady who lives in the fireplace.” As they got a little older, some of them would reminisce about the game that they used to play, but some of them would give each other that special look. Nico would be sure to let Chiron know about those children. He was quite pleased to see that not only his and Will’s children, Bianca, Michael, and Lee, but all of their grandchildren knew that ‘the Lady in the fireplace’ was not just a childhood game.

When he’d made sure all the ashes were cleared away, Nico reached up to dust the sculpture on the mantle. That sculpture had been a gift from his sister Hazel. Hazel had been a prolific painter, and their house had several of Hazel’s works, but she’d only made a few sculptures, and this one was special, as it was a gift for their silver wedding anniversary, and it was the last piece of sculpture she ever made. It was an abstract piece consisting of beautifully carved onyx with gold wrapped around it. People were always commenting on it, either how perfectly the gold was supported by the onyx or how perfectly the gold seemed to wrap around the onyx like a shield.

As he stood back to admire his sister’s artwork, Nico thought about her. Hazel was with Frank now, acknowledged at last by their father and residing in his palace in the Underworld. Unlike so many of their friends, she’d died peacefully in her sleep, but she’d been so brave in her life that even without her being the daughter of Pluto, her place in Elysium would have been assured. 

Nico sighed. He wished he could see her more often, but Hades had made it clear that he and Will were only allowed limited visits with their friends who had died. He remembered when Hades had set the limitation, with Persephone saying to him, “Your place is with the living.” Her voice had been stern as it usually was, but there was a deep tenderness in her eyes as she said it.

Will came in wheeling a load of firewood. “Herb’s doing well,” he said. Herb was currently the large oak tree in their yard. Herb was also the reincarnation of the satyr who’d escorted Will to Camp Half Blood (as well as quite a few of his siblings) more than seventy years ago. When the satyr had died and transformed into an oak sapling, Chiron had contacted Will, who’d lovingly planted the sapling behind his and Nico’s house.

Nico looked first at the sculpture and then at his husband. Hazel had adored Will, and sometimes the two of them would gang up on him. He’d tried to get Frank to come to his aid, but all the Roman had said was, “I know better than that.”

Then he thought about when he’d first introduced Will to Hazel. He’d been so nervous about it. What if she didn’t approve? What if she didn’t understand? What if...what if?

“Hazel, this is Will Solace. He’s um, he’s--um…” He colored, unable to find the right words to continue.

Hazel smiled and leaned close to her brother. In her soft, sweet voice, she said, “Nico, is he your boyfriend?”

Will just smiled, waiting for Nico to take the lead.

In an even softer voice, not meeting her eyes, Nico replied, “Um, yes, he is.”

Hazel eyed the tall blond and said, “Wow, he’s really cute!” (Will blushed at that.)

Nico was stunned! “I was afraid you’d...I didn’t know if you’d…I mean, since we’re both from before, I thought...” He was unable to finish a sentence or even a thought, but Hazel just laughed. It wasn’t an unkind laugh, but it did surprise him. 

“Oh Nico, big brother, I don’t know about what it was like in Venice when you were young, but for a colored girl in New Orleans, especially with a mother like mine, I knew lots of men like that. I figured you’d tell me when you were ready, and I hope you two will be as happy together as some of the men I remember from those days. Oh, and by the way, I want to be the flower girl at your wedding. I think you owe me that.” Many, many hugs followed, and Hazel did strew flowers at Nico and Will’s wedding.

Will broke in on Nico’s reminiscences. “I’m worn out. This old man needs a nap.”

Nico smiled at him fondly as he walked off to the bedroom. Then he thought, “Gods, we are so old! How did that happen? How did we last so long?” 

As had been happening all day, his thoughts went down a melancholy path. “We outlived so many of our friends. We’re the last of our generation. Except for Thalia and Alex and Magnus, of course.” He allowed himself a smile at that, but then went back to a darker thought.


	4. Thinking Back

Of course, Nico had gone through Bianca’s death (it still hurt, it would always hurt), and Will had gone through Lee’s and Michael’s death before, but Jason’s was the first death that they had gone through together.

When Nico had first met Jason aboard the Argo II, he hadn’t really liked the son of Jupiter. He was just too perfect, too good looking, too well liked by everyone else. He had no idea of what it was like to be the son of the god everyone was afraid of, or worse, what it was like to be...abnormal. When he’d told Jason so angrily about how he was treated like he was covered in blood or filth, the other boy had just recoiled. Then that awful humiliating quest when Cupid had forced his worst secret out, he was just waiting for Jason to show his true colors, either to shun from him or worse, to act like he pitied him. And yet somehow, he never did either.

When Jason told him “...you’d have that many more people to back you up, and to unleash the fury of the gods on anybody who gives you trouble,” Nico hadn’t believed him. At first he thought it was just empty words, but the way Jason looked at him afterward, he felt like maybe Jason had actually believed what he’d said. Then he’d worried that Jason would decide, in his usual Eagle Scout fashion that Nico needed to be ‘outed'. He’d waited with a sick fear for the looks to start among the rest of the crew (Please gods, not Hazel), but it never happened.

In time, Nico learned that, first of all, Jason would never do something like that. Second, he meant what he said, that Nico’s being...that way really didn’t affect how Jason felt about him. As Nico grew calmer about that, he discovered that for all of his ‘golden boy’ attributes, Jason had had a pretty rough life himself, what with being abandoned by his mother and put into Hera’s, no, Juno’s tender care. Also, he had his own set of insecurities, the worst was never being entirely Greek or Roman, but also the pressure of being a son of the Big Three, which Nico could relate to.

Ultimately, they became friends, sparring together, having rivalries, although not as ridiculous as the rivalries between Jason and Percy. That was always out of hand, especially when the two older boys decided to be protective of their ‘little’ cousin. That never ended well, especially when they decided to give Will the shovel speech, only to be smacked down properly by Will’s Apollo siblings.

Yeah, Jason’s death had hit him hard, but he stepped up, presiding over Jason’s funeral services at Camp Half Blood, as was his responsibility as the son of Hades. As he stood in front of the assembled crowds, he worked hard to keep his voice steady, speaking of the loss of the pontifex maximus, the hero of so many battles, but most importantly the friend who had stood by so many of them so many times, lending courage, supporting everyone.

As he finished the oration, Nico felt his knees shake and his eyes burn. He looked into the crowd and his eyes fell, as they always did, on his boyfriend’s face. Will was smiling that warm smile of his, but in his eyes was something deeper, speaking of a promise of support that would hold him up through everything and never leave him. And yet, would he have had the courage to welcome this man, his boyfriend, his everything, into his life if Jason hadn’t been there from the beginning, letting him know that this was no sin, no abomination, but the purest, best love and his just due?

As he concluded the service, he was surprised that one by one, mourners were coming up to him and thanking him. In spite of his life being better now, he was still a little afraid that his parentage made him an outcast. Reyna was the most shocking. She’d made a special trip for this. The usually stoic Roman was barely holding back tears as she pulled Nico into a fierce embrace and murmured gratitude into his ear, telling him that he was lending her the strength she needed so badly to get through it. Perhaps for the first time, Nico felt truly proud to be a son of Hades.

That changed Nico. For the first time, he truly felt his place, not just as a camper, not just as someone dating a very popular son of Apollo, but truly as a son of Hades. He knew that it was his duty to oversee funerals, but he could now see how much of the rites were for the living, not just to placate ghosts or secure a better placement for them in the Underworld.

It also changed the way the other campers treated him. He’d begun to become friendlier with a few campers, Cecil, Lou Ellen, Mitchell,and the whole Apollo cabin, of course, but he was startled when, not long after Jason’s memorial service, Billie Ng came up to him. The Demeter cabin in particular tended to avoid him, but she pulled him aside one afternoon after sword practice.

She hesitated, and then said, “It’s the anniversary of my grandmother’s death.” She stopped. He didn’t reply, but met her eyes, something he rarely did, as if encouraging her to continue. She did. She spoke softly about how her grandmother had taken her in, even though she didn’t seem to have a proper mother, and her father couldn’t really explain where she’d come from. When she began to speak, Billie had looked so sad, but as she told stories about the times her grandmother had taken her to the local arboretum and patiently waited while her granddaughter had greeted every tree and conversed with some of them (actually, Billie was chatting up dryads, but her grandmother didn’t have the sight, just a loving heart). By the time Billie and Nico parted ways, she was smiling, and even gave him a little kiss on the cheek. (He really didn’t know what to make of that!) For the next week, he did notice that the greenery near his cabin was much better tended.

He thought about how, after that, more and more campers would come up to him and give him the look. He came to recognize that look soon enough. He’d nod in the direction of someplace private, and the camper and he would go off to where he’d listen as the camper would talk about a dead relative or friend. Sometimes these little sessions would end in tears, sometimes they’d end in laughter, but Nico could see how much it helped people to unburden themselves.

This carried over into other things. Nico was now in demand for social activities. People felt more comfortable around him. He was sought after for Capture the Flag (and not just when someone’s strategy included shadow traveling or raising skeletons), he was invited to climbing wall competitions, Butch even offered to give him Pegasus ruding lessons. He thanked the son of Iris but declined (“It won’t end well, trust me.”) Will noticed his boyfriend’s increased popularity with joy, but noticed the silent interchanges that ended with Nico going off to a secluded area with another camper. He decided to see what that was about, not jealous, not him, nope.

In the present day, Nico laughed at how that had turned out. He heard his husband’s sleepy voice from the bedroom. “What’s so funny?” Will asked, groggy from his nap.

“Just remembering when you tried to spy on me to see why I kept going off in private with all those campers…”

Will snorted.

Nico continued, “You thought you were so sneaky, hiding behind that bush with your blond mop poking over the top. At least this time you weren’t wearing that ridiculous black outfit.”

“Yeah, that’s me, Mr. Stealth.”

“Dr. Stealth, as I recall. And what were you thinking, trying to sneak around while wearing flip flops?”

“Hey, can you blame me? I saw you going off in private with cute boys.”

“As I recall, it was Alice Miyazawa, who was not and is still not a boy. Besides, I only remember one cute boy from Camp Half Blood.”

After an eye roll, his husband said, “It also seems to me that you became a little less averse to being touched around then.”

“For starters, William (Will always hated being called that, and Nico used it to his advantage), you were the one doing most of the touching, and I always found that hard to resist.”

That inspired Will to put an arm around Nico’s waist. He continued, “Also, a lot of why I didn’t like it when other people touched me was that I was afraid it would give me away. Percy was always trying to give me bro-hugs, and I’d always worry that everyone could see how much I liked it when he did that. Past tense, liked, don’t give me that look. Then when people would want hugs after remembering someone who’d died, how could I turn them down?”

Will’s smile broadened at that. Nico had become Camp Half Blood’s unofficial grief counselor, which had prepared him for his career as an end of life specialist just as his own time in the infirmary had given him the skills he’d needed as one of the best trauma surgeons in the country. He also didn’t mind that Nico had stopped shying away from his every touch (and as a son of Apollo, he was always very touchy-feely). At any rate, the armies of grandchildren, theirs and all their friends, would be arriving tomorrow for the party, all of whom would want hugs from ‘Unka Nee Nee’ (that was what Chloe, Hazel’s youngest granddaughter called him when she was little. He would fake a glare at her for it, and she’d giggle.)

“Enough nostalgia, old man.” Will chided his husband affectionately. “You get to work. The party is tomorrow, and those fritole and castagnoli won’t bake themselves.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in updating; I wanted to read The Tyrant's Tomb. Not to worry, no spoilers, but I'm trying to keep canon-compliant.


	5. The Party

The first guests started arriving around 10 in the morning. Nico thanked the gods that Will’s Apollo family knew better than to come by any earlier despite their fondness for early mornings. Actually the first arrivals were Hazel’s grandchildren. Jordie, sorry Jordan now, looking so good in his uniform, his partner Robin’s hand in his. Next came Chloe, looking radiant in the early stages of pregnancy. She kissed her uncles on their cheeks as they greeted her at the door.

“Bethany says she’s sorry to miss this year, but she and Laurie are still on their honeymoon. Andrew sends apologies, but he couldn’t get away. What was I thinking, marrying a praetor?”

“That’s okay, tesoro,” Nico was happy to see his great-niece and nephew.

“Uncle Will, could I ask a favor?” She whispered into his ear. He nodded and placed a hand gently on her belly.

“Just like we thought, it's twins," he said.

She smiled at him, but Nico said, “I thought you never wanted anything to do with OB/Gyn after Chuck.”

“Yeah, but this is family.”

Nico stuck his tongue out at the two of them. Chloe laughed. “Just for that,” she said teasingly, “I’ll teach them to call you ‘Unka Nee Nee.”

Nico pulled back in mock horror. “No, anything but that!”

Jordan joined in the laughter. “Speaking of Chuck, I heard he almost got arrested at Burning Man. Again.”

Nico laughed. “Yeah, that’s his fifth time. He had to beg off our party this year. He has to stay in hiding, since the FBI has been cracking down on eco-terrorists last year, and he’s getting too old to pass for human.”

“Too bad,” Jordan put in. “I was hoping to invite him to my bachelor party. You guys know you’re invited too. It’ll be at the end of January.”

“No way!” Will beamed. “So,” he beamed at Robin. “You’re making an honest man of our Jordan at last.”

“Well, I decided your family needed some Trivia blood in it for real. I know my mom favored Grandma Hazel, so I figured it was time to make it legal.”

“Oh, by the way…” Nico asked Robin.

“Thanks, it’s they and them today.”

At this point, two teenagers came in from the backyard. Well, not really teenagers.

“Magnus! Alex! Glad you could make it. How was the trip?”

“Not bad, Herb’s connection to Yggdrasil seems to be good this year, so we got here earlier than we planned,” Magnus explained.

“Hey guys,” Alex greeted them and then turned to the guests. “Hey Robin.”

Robin responded, “They and them today.”

Alex shot back, “He and him at the moment.” Then he turned to the Zhang siblings. “Shall we take it up where we left it?”

Chloe demurred. “Count me out. At this point, shifting brings on my morning sickness.”

“Oh, it’s on, Fiero.” Jordan rose to the challenge.

“Kids, take it to the backyard,” Will admonished. “We’d like to keep the house intact for the party.”

Robin put in, “the Mist seems pretty thick, so you guys can cut loose, but I swear, keep it civil or I’m busting out the pig balls. Jordan Levesque-Zhang, I love you, but cross me and you will be sleeping in the sty tonight.”

The two shapeshifters nodded and went outside to continue their ongoing competition, as Magnus called after them, “No swarms of bees this time. I’m tired of healing the stings.”

At this moment, there was a flash of light, and Thalia’s face came into view, surrounded by a swirl of color.

“Sorry about the Iris message, but we have to miss this year. Artemis has asked us to escort her to the Solstice meeting.”

Will looked worried. “What’s up? Another world-ending prophecy?”

“I don’t think so,” Thalia replied. “She just wanted us to be on hand. She said there was a rumor about something on this year’s agenda that we might like to hear about.”

Nico shook his head, “Immortals and their head games. Well, I’ll be sorry to miss you. Please give Reyna my love.”

“Will do, cousin. Sorry, but duty calls.” She waved her hand, cutting the message off.

“Where’s the lady in the fireplace?” a child’s voice called out.

“Telegonus, you know she always misses the Christmas party.” That was Sammy Valdez, Leo and Calypso’s son.

“But, daddy, why?” the child asked plaintively.

“She’s visiting her brothers and sisters. Oh, hey, Uncle Will, Uncle Nico.”

“Hey, Sammy. Is that Telegonus? You’ve gotten so big!” Will put his arms out, but the child ran past him.

“Hug Tio Nico first,” he insisted and ran to his favorite ‘uncle.’

Nico began the game they always played. “It’s zio, not tio,” and he folded his arms as if to refuse the hug.

The boy persisted, “tio, that’s what abuelo told me.” Then he threw his arms around Nico’s legs. That was the part of the game where Nico relented, putting his arms around the child. Will smiled at that. He could still remember when this compulsive hugger of every child to come into their house resisted any touch. Well, half a century around loving children did seem to have a therapeutic effect.

Soon the house was full of people. There were a number of mortal guests, so the demigod business was relegated to the yard. The Mist did its work, so the guests indoors didn’t notice when things like self-propelling snowball fights and slightly inebriated nature spirits (the coffee was just a little spiked) came into view of the windows. As the evening went on, the mortals (at least the ones who weren’t clear-sighted) were the first to leave, so the other guests could speak freely. (This also spared the question of why some of the guests would occasionally dump some of their food into the fireplace and murmur something.)

Nico was chatting with Estelle Blofis. “I miss Percy and Annabeth at this time of year.” She sighed. “Even when their kids were too old for it, Percy would put on that ridiculous Santa suit for them.”

Nico shook his head. “Yeah, and then Annabeth would start to lecture about how it was really a rip-off of Saturnalia.”

“It’s amazing how you and Will are the only ones left.” Estelle knew most of the demigods of their generation. Like her mother, Sally Jackson, Estelle was clear sighted. Also like her mother, she was an author, but she’d specialized in young adult books and had written a very popular series based on the (highly fictionalized) exploits of her brother and sister-in-law and their friends. She could still rely on family friends to provide her with material for an occasional sequel.

“Well, you know, most of our crowd made it to Elysium. In fact, Percy and Annabeth are both on the Isle of the Blest. Neither one was willing to tell me about their previous lives when I visited, and father made it clear that it wasn’t polite to ask.”

“Too bad,” Estelle said. “My publisher would love for me to start another series.”

That conversation was cut off by a crash and the sound of a small child wailing. Will rose up, but he was gently pushed back into the chair by the woman he’d been talking to.

“Uncle Will, you sit back down again.”

“Yes, Dawn,” he sighed.

“As your doting niece, I’m telling you not to worry. There are plenty of parents here to look after things.”

“But what if he’s hurt?” Will persisted.

The woman rose to her feet. “In that case, as your cardiologist, I’m definitely telling you to leave it to someone else. Between Magnus and all of your Apollo siblings who are not eighty five years old with a heart condition, there are plenty of healers, not to mention regular doctors. Uncle Will, we’ve had this discussion before. I know it’s hard for you to retire, but at your age, doing a healing could kill you.”

“Brava, brava.” Nico clapped wryly. “It’s so nice to see you on the receiving end of a medical scolding for a change. Will, she may only be a grandchild of Apollo, but Dawn Knowles is a world-renowned cardiologist, as well as your favorite niece. Maybe you should listen to her. Or to put it another way...”

“Don’t say it,” Will said, but it was too late as the whole room called out in unison.

“Doctor’s orders!”


	6. The Other Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Business meetings - Pretty much the same on Olympus as they are on Earth

Meanwhile, 600 floors up in the Empire State Building…

Hades looked around the room. They’d started the evening gathered into their usual cliques, funny how after millenia had passed, some habits didn’t change. He and Hestia still hung out together in spite of their disparate spheres of influence. Maybe it had to do with being the first born (and last to escape their father’s GI tract). Then there was the “maiden goddess” clique, Athena, Artemis, and, depending on whether it was based on marital status today or “young, independent female status,” either Hestia or Persephone. As Hades was monopolizing his sister, Persephone was able to draw her fellow daughters of Zeus into their plan for the evening.

Then, of course, there were the sibling rivalries. Hephaestus and Ares were looking daggers at each other, with Aphrodite, ever the trouble maker, egging them on. Hermes was doing something behind Apollo’s back, doubtless some prank, but after his last exile into human form, the sun god seemed to have more of a sense of humor than he had in past centuries. Really, thought Hades, it was his brothers’ rivalries that were the worst. They never learned. You’d think that at least tonight they’d try to keep their one-upmanship on a leash, maybe set a better example for the lesser deities that had come tonight, trying to curry favor before the closed executive session. At least Hera was keeping things civil, although did she have to keep using that judgy stare of hers on everybody else?

Demeter, as usual, was hovering over the food table. She may be the goddess of agriculture, but her plate was piled high with barbecue. Thank us, there was plenty left for the rest of us. Burnt offerings were at a record high this year, and Hades noted with approval that he knew whose kitchen had provided some of the more popular dishes. He was glad he’d managed to save Maria’s recipe files from his brother’s dick move with that thunderbolt.

Themis, ever the one to keep divine order, called the other gods and goddesses to begin the council meeting. “Olympians, please take your thrones. The rest of you, there should be enough folding chairs, but don’t block the fire exits.”

=====

“Thank you, my daughter, for that fascinating report on demographics.” The sarcasm dripped from Zeus’s voice. Athena had delivered a lengthy presentation on the increase in believers, citing the latest waves of fantasy books, movies, and a renewed Mythomagic craze, tied to the continued environmental precariousness as why the old Greek and Roman ways were experiencing this revival.

“Yes, as to that,” Hades began. “The burnt offerings have seen a nice increase.” He gestured to Hestia, who was enjoying a plate of ziti. “But it’s meant a huge increase in Underworld traffic, as more of this new generation of believers is starting to show up. I’d like to request an increase in staffing.”

“Yes, yes,” Zeus waved a hand at him. “Can you get Hecate to make you some empousai or something?”

“No, my lord (how Hades hated to call his younger brother that). I am requesting a new lesser god of death, someone to lend Thanatos a hand. As the mortals learn more tricks, the definition of death is getting more complicated. I need someone to act as an arbiter in some of the more complicated cases.”

“What are you getting at, brother? I know that tone.”

“Lord Zeus, Lords of Olympus, I am proposing godhood for my son.”

Murmuring filled the hall. The voices grew in volume until Zeus brought his hands together angrily. The thunderclap drew everyone’s attention. “Can we discuss this in an orderly fashion?” he said, affecting the managerial skills he’d picked up in his CEO phase.

Hephaestos put in bluntly, “Your children are not known for being sane. Is this a good idea?”

“Actually, this one is one of the more stable, for some reason,” Dionysus responded.

“Yes, about that.” Hades said. “I’d also like to request godhood for his husband. I think he’s a good influence on Nico.”

Apollo stood up eagerly. “My son made a god? That would be...ow, sis, that hurt!”

Artemis had pinched her brother on the arm and then nodded discreetly to Persephone..

Athena stood up as well, having no siblings to stop her. “Shall we put it to a vote? Apotheosis for Nico di Angelo, son of Hades and Will Solace, son of Apollo.”

“Thank you, niece,” thought Hades.

“Very well,” Zeus grumbled. “I’m not in favor of it myself, but I will abide by the will of this council.”

Athena produced a tablet and a stylus to record the votes.

Dionysus began. “In favor. Always nice to have more LGBT gods.”

“In favor,” Hermes put in quickly.

Hephaestus stayed blunt. “Opposed.”

Ares started with a sullen, “Opposed,” but changed it when Aphrodite shot him a look.

Aphrodite herself smiled radiantly, “In favor. I so ship Solangelo.”

Artemis glanced at Persephone again. “In favor. For boys, they’re alright.”

Apollo looked up brightly. “In favor.” He was going to continue, but pulled his arm away from Artemis. “Don’t pinch me again,” he grumped and fell silent.

Athena said, “In favor. My Parthenos still stands guard over Camp Half Blood because of his courage. Athena does not forget.”

Demeter was next. “In favor.” The other gods looked at her in surprise. When was the last time she’d agreed with Hades? “I have my reasons,” was all she said.

Poseidon also approved, muttering something about Percy asking him to do it.

Hera said, “I’m opposed. I don’t approve of elevating these products of gods infidelity. And regarding their ‘marriage’...” She was cut off as Ganymede spilled a bit of nectar on her sleeve. Dionysus shot the cupbearer a discreet thumbs up.

Athena stood up officiously. “The vote is eight in favor and four opposed.”

“Well,” Zeus sighed. “It appears we have new gods. When should the apotheosis take place?”

“As they will be Underworld gods, it should be at their deaths.” The other gods knew better than to argue with Themis when she spoke on rules and laws.

“If there is no further business, we are adjourned for the year.” Zeus struck the floor with his master bolt, ending the meeting. The assembled Olympians rose from their thrones and left the chamber, Demeter giving her daughter a knowing look, and Hades high fiving Hestia. When he was sure his sister was out of earshot (and pinching range), Apollo said with a smug grin:

My son is a god  
His husband is smoking hot  
I am so awesome.


	7. It's the End (But the Moment Has Been Prepared For)

The Solstice party was over, Christmas was over; the new year had started. In a few weeks, Nico thought, it would be his birthday. Then he stopped. He knew, with that child of the Underworld sense. He phoned Bianca and the twins and asked them to come over this afternoon for lunch, when he knew that Will would be at the hospital. They were naming the new surgical ward in his honor, and he would enjoy talking shop with his younger colleagues and former students.

“Papa!” Michael, the younger of the twins gave him a hug in greeting as he came in the door. Lee, his brother was close on his heels. They’d driven over together.

“I hope Bianca gets here soon,” said Nico, looking at the clock. “There are some things I want to discuss before your dad gets home.”

With that, Bianca Solace-di Angelo stepped out of a shadow into the living room. She also came over and hugged her papa in greeting. “We’re sorry we missed the Solstice this year,” she said,

“That’s alright.” Nico smiled at his three children. “I heard about your trip to Russia. When Baba Yaga invites you to her hut for a Russian New Years party, you don’t want to miss it. Your dad and I have been to some of her events. I still remember the year one of her DJs put on the Funky Chicken, and the house started to dance.”

The children laughed, remember how their fathers had described it, the guests tumbling around on the floor as the hut had spun around in time to the music. 

“There are a few things I want to go over with you.”

Bianca in particular knew that tone. She frowned, “You don’t have to do this, pappa. We know where the legal papers are, we’ve seen your wills.” Then she stopped. Her brothers caught her look and moved closer.

Lee spoke first. “It’s happening soon, isn’t it?”

Nico nodded, still smiling. “I’m not sure when, but I don’t think I’ll be having another birthday.”

They became more solemn, but kept their composure, except for Michael. He didn’t make a fuss, but, like his father, he teared up easily. He excused himself to go into the bathroom to get some tissues.

“We’ve discussed this before. I’ve had a long life, a good life. I’ve had your dad.” (Lee snickered at that.) “I’ve had the three of you and your beautiful kids. No long faces; just think of it as me moving in with grandpa. Promise me you’ll look after dad when I leave. I know all the legal business is in order, but I still wanted to go over a few things. You kids remember which plants in the backyard are reincarnated satyrs?”

Michael blew his nose and then said, “Yes, papa. Herb is the oak tree, the laurel is a cutting from Uncle Grover (the original was still thriving in the house that Bianca shared with Luke Jackson-Chase) and the blueberry bush is Uncle Gleeson. He still makes the best pies even though cupcakes would be more appropriate.”

“Promise me you’ll look after them,” Nico said. “You know that they’re why monsters leave the house alone.”

His children had heard this all before. “Yes, pappa,” they chanted in unison, just a little snark in their tone. He’d trained them well.

The door opened, and Will walked in at that moment. His children put their arms around him, crying out, “Daddy!”

“Bianca, Michael, Lee.” Will beamed at his children. “What are you doing here?”

Lee came up with the cover story. “We wanted to tell you about the party.”

“First of all, how did all three of you manage an invite? Your papa and I have known Baba Yaga for years, but I didn’t think you’d ever met her.”

“Actually,” Michael said, “I met her through Ded Moroz back around 2050, when I was in Russia on that concert tour.”

“And then, Luke and I helped rescue some rusalky right before the solstice, and then Lee got called over to heal them, so she invited us to her New Year’s party to thank us.”

“Well,” Will said, since you missed the party, I hope you’ll all at least stay for dinner.”

=====

After the meal, their children prepared to leave. Will told them to come back soon and bring their spouses and children. He wondered why Michael turned away so abruptly when he said that, but they all bundled into Lee’s car, saying they’d try to bring the whole brood next week. 

When he turned to his husband, Nico sat down quickly, his hand to his temple. Will gave him a questioning look.

“Sorry, love, I just got a killer headache.”

“Let me get you some ibuprofen and a little ambrosia.”

Nico accepted the medications gladly. In spite of the ache in his skull, he smiled at the taste of the ambrosia, musky and salty, yet tasting of sunlight. He remembered the first time the godly food had that taste.

The pain in his head eased for a moment, and then it got worse, blindingly worse, building and building. Suddenly it stopped as a hand took hold of his. Not Will’s hand, it was far too cold for Will’s hand. He knew that touch, he’d worked alongside that touch for many years.

“So it was tonight?” he asked.

Thanatos nodded.

Nico sighed. He felt bad for leaving Will, who’d be frantic, but he knew how these things were done. He’d seen it often enough, both as a demigod and as a specialist in end-of-life care. He looked at Thanatos, knowing that the god of death would have to turn him over to Hermes to be conducted to the Underworld, but Thanatos wasn’t moving.

“Wait a moment,” was all the primordial said.

As Nico watched, his husband sprang into action as he had so many times before.

When Will saw the man he loved collapse onto the sofa, he put a hand out to Nico’s forehead. In spite of his age, his diagnostic ability was still strong.

“A cerebral aneurysm. Oh, gods no! It’s ruptured.” Will knew that he didn’t have time to call an ambulance. He also knew what Dawn had said about doing a healing at his age, but he didn’t care. He put both hands on Nico’s head and began to sing in a cracked voice.

Nico called out, “No, no Will! Don’t do it; it’s too late for me!” but Will couldn’t hear his unbodied voice.

Will felt like his chest was on fire, but he didn’t know whether it was from his heart breaking figuratively or literally. All he knew was that he couldn’t stop; he had to save his Nico. He only stopped when a hand too strong to resist forcibly pulled him away.

Will turned angrily, wanting to know who’d dared to pull him back, but then he saw Nico holding the figure’s other hand. He finally smiled, as he realized who this being was, who’d kindly waited so that the two of them could leave this world together.

“A few things before we leave,” Thanatos said. “We’ve worked together for so long that I can do this for you.” He produced two coins which he placed into the mouths of the inert forms on the sofa. “My brother can be such a pill about his fees sometimes.” 

Then he picked up the phone from the table and made a call. “Hello, Bianca. I think you know who this is. I’m afraid I have some bad news. You and your brothers should come back to your fathers’ house.” 

=====

Thanatos was right. Charon was ready with a speech about “no special treatment or discounts,” and seemed a little disappointed when both men readily produced the full fare for the boatman.

They left the boat and walked from the docks to the Pavilion of Judgement. Will noted with pleasure that the first judge was a familiar face, a half-brother of his and another Will. “Better to face the afterlife with iambic pentameter than with bad haiku,” he thought The second judge was a familiar face from their younger days. He couldn’t remember the woman’s name, but he recognized the lace collar she wore. The third judge, however…

Nico swore under his breath as the third judge greeted them.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the Ghost King himself? I’d say the tables are turned,” Minos rubbed his hands together eagerly. Nico had to hold in a snort. Gods! All the old judge needed was a white cat to stroke nefariously.

“Don’t gloat Minos; it makes your eyes go small and piggy,” the female judge chided.

“Can it, Ruth,” was Minos’ reply. He was about to say something more, but was interrupted by another voice Nico knew all too well.

“Sorry, honey. These two are coming with me.” Alecto seized them in her claws and flew up into the air with them, bearing them toward the palace. Nico thought back to the last time he’d been borne off by the Fury, when she’d carried Percy and him to see Hades. He hoped Will could forgive him for whatever indignities his father (or more likely his step-mother) was about to put them through. He knew that in the afterlife, his father held absolute dominion, and although he’d been promised a room in Hades’ palace, he didn’t really know how much that would protect him from Persephone. He could only hope that the decreasing tension in family dinners through the years meant that the goddess wasn’t utterly hostile toward him.

Nico’s misgivings only increased when Alecto dropped them unceremoniously in the throne room of the palace. His father was seated on his throne, his face as unreadable as the stone walls of the chamber. Persephone spoke first, her face equally impassive.

“Come with me, boy. Your father will take care of the other one.”

“Great,” Nico thought. “Things just keep improving. Minos to Alecto to Persephone.” In life he knew better than to cross his step-mother; now that he was dead, he was incapable of disobeying her. She led him to her private quarters, the rooms that even Hades couldn’t enter without her permission.

His feeling of dread increased when Persephone closed the door behind them and locked it. “Good,” she said. “Now no-one can disturb us.”

Nico didn’t have long to wonder what the goddess had in store for him. Another door flew open, and a small figure emerged, launching itself at him with a cry. The figure threw its arms around him, and Nico braced himself for blows or worse.

To his surprise, instead, the arms pulled him close into a hug, and a voice, familiar in spite of the river Lethe and not being heard for over a century.

“Nico, Nico, mio figlio, il mio bellissimo bambino,” she cried out the words and peppered his face with kisses.

Nico looked at the face he hadn’t seen so long. “Mamma,” he choked out in disbelief. “But wait, how is it that…” words failed him for a moment. “How can we even be touching? We’re both dead spirits now.”

Persephone gave a sphinx-like smile. “My house, my rules.”

Maria di Angelo smiled at her. “Grazie.”

Persephone smiled back. “Of course, anything for you, carissima.”

Nico fell back, his head spinning. His mother here in Persephone’s private quarters? And Persephone, who had always shown contempt for his mother calling her ‘dearest?’

His confusion was obvious. The goddess hastened to explain. “Your mother has been my dearest friend and more since shortly after Hades introduced us, but we had to keep it a secret. My own mother would be furious, and she’d take it out on Maria as well as you. It broke my heart to treat you so cruelly, but it was the only way to protect you from both my mother and my father. I beg you, dearest boy, just keep our secret a little longer, for your own sake and your mother’s. Soon, though, you’ll be safe, and then you won’t have to worry.”

Nico’s head was spinning. Persephone had called his mother ‘dearest friend and more’ and called him dearest boy. He needed to think. No, he needed Will, but Will, his Will was at the tender mercy of Hades. He hoped again that the dinners they’d shared over the years meant that his father harbored some good will, but he was so confused. He started to sit down, but Persephone gestured for him to rise. 

“No time for that now,” she told him. “My lord Hades summons us.”

His mother leaned over to kiss him on the cheek, her brown eyes shining with joy as she bade him go, saying, “Go to your father now. When you come back, you can introduce me to your lovely boy.”

=====

There had always been a certain amount of awkwardness when Hades and Persephone had come around for dinner, in spite of Will’s trying to win favor with his husband’s parents. So, Will wasn’t really surprised at how uncomfortable it was when he was left with Hades after Persephone took Nico away with her. Will, seeing how unhappy Nico was at this, tried to come with, but Hades had simply said, “You will wait here until they come back.”

Will found himself quite unable to move at those words. No surprise, he was a dead spirit, and Hades was the god of the Underworld. Still, he thought he saw regret in Hades’ face at having to issue a command to his son-in-law. He tried to make pleasant conversation; it wasn’t as if they’d never spent time together, but he was absolutely frozen. Hades, too, seemed to be a statue. Will thought that, for all his appearance, his father-in-law was a god, not a human being, and he hoped that Hades’ reputation for honor and fairness would hold up. At any rate, it didn’t seem that much time before Persephone came back into the throne room, Nico following her and with a look of amazement on his face.

He turned to Will, about to say something, but Persephone stopped him. “Not yet,” she said, “It’s still not safe.” Her face was softer to him than Will had ever seen it, but before he could say anything, Hades spoke, his face solemn and his voice grave.

“My son, for years, you have served me faithfully. Now that your life is over, by rights you should be allowed to rest, but I have a boon and a burden for you. For all of your life, you’ve served me faithfully, better than I ever could have hoped, far better than I deserved. Will you, Nico di Angelo, my son accept godhood and the position of my lieutenant?”

Nico’s jaw dropped. This was not what he’d expected. He’d done his father’s bidding, sometimes at great risk to himself, but always dutifully. Still sometimes those harsh words would come back to sting painfully “Your sister would’ve done a better job,” he’d said. But then, his father had also said he’d like to see Nico happy. This was an honor, the greatest honor. What was he to do? Then he looked, as he had so often, to Will for help. At that moment, his mind was made up. He’d never want an existence without his Will.

Hades, seeing his face, gestured for him to wait. Then the god spoke to Will, who’d been waiting so quietly to see what his husband, his love of so many years, would do.

“I wish to offer my son godhood and make him my lieutenant. He will need a fitting consort. Are you willing to accept this offer?”

Will gaped in amazement, not making a sound, not making a move, until Nico, all of his old snark at full throttle, told him, “Say yes, you fool! How do you expect me to spend eternity without you nagging me to eat properly and get enough rest?”

Will snorted at that. “How can I turn down so eloquent an argument?”

Hades gestured to the boys. “Kneel before me then.”

When they did that, he placed a hand on each of their foreheads. “By the power of the Council of Olympus,” he said solemnly, “I declare you to be gods of the Underworld, bound in fealty to me, to watch over those who are on the border between life and death.”

Each of them felt a cold fire blazing through them, consuming what was left of their mortal essences and suffusing them with power. While so occupied, they didn’t see Persephone behind them, punching the air in triumph as she danced in glee. When the transformation was complete, Will and Nico rose, their bodies restored to full vigor, not as the teenagers they’d been when they first fell in love, but as the young men they’d been at their wedding, strong and mature.

They turned around as Persephone cleared her throat. Her face was impassive, and Nico wondered what it would be like, dealing with his step-mother for all eternity. He was still confused by what he’d seen in her private quarters, and what she said next made things even more perplexing.

“Godly marriages are complicated. I hope you won’t spoil yours by chasing after nymphs.”

Will looked at her, dumbfounded. Surely she knew that neither one of them had the slightest interest in any females. Then, she winked at them. Will remembered that wink. It had been over forty years ago, but that wink perfectly mirrored the wink he’d shot Nico and the two gods when he’d gotten Demeter off their case at that dinner party so long ago. 

His reverie was interrupted by a snort of laughter from Hades. “Oh, Sephie, (the boys had never heard Hades refer to his wife with that way before) the looks on their faces!”

Persephone herself was shaking with laughter.

“Now, you two shouldn’t wind them up like that.” This was a small woman Will hadn’t seen before, but her hair, her eyes, he knew those too well.

“You’re right, carissima,” said Persephone and kissed the woman on the cheek.

She turned back to the boys. There was real warmth on her face, like a beautiful bouquet. “Now that you’re safe and beyond the power of my mother (you know how she can get), I can drop that disgusting charade and treat you like proper family.”

The other woman said, in a tone that Will would have recognized anywhere, “And you, my Nicolo, can show me that you still have the manners I tried to raise you with and introduce your handsome boyfriend to your mother.”

“Mamma, may I present my husband, Will Solace? Will, this is my mother, Maria di Angelo.”

After many hugs and kisses (Will laughed at the thought that he was a god now, and still this tiny Italian woman had pinched his cheeks like a nonna meeting a small child), Hades proclaimed, “You will begin your godly duties tomorrow. Tonight Maria is making dinner (both Persephone and Nico looked very happy at that), and afterward, you have some old friends (he gestured out the window toward the Elysian Fields) who will be very glad to see you.”

Nico took Will’s hand and smiled. They’d had a full and rich life together. Now that life was over, and their adventure was about to begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started this as a lead in to Happy Anniversary, which I posted about a year and a half ago, and then it sort of took on a life (and afterlife) of its own.
> 
> A little bit on the Russian mythology (for those who aren't familiar with it): First off, it's been my experience Russians (and Slavs in general) throw great New Years parties. They are not to be missed, but don't expect to be able to do anything the day after. Baba Yaga (stress on the second syllable, please) is this amazing witch/goddess/demon who does indeed live in a hut on fowl's legs, and that hut has been known to walk around the forests. Ded Moroz (or Grandfather Frost) is sort of the Russian equivalent of Santa Claus, and rusalky are water spirits. Baba Yaga is not that fond of humans, but she does care for supernatural creatures in her own way.
> 
> The Italian translations (and I'll happily take correction from anyone who speaks the language) are:  
mio figlio, il mio bellissimo bambino - my son, my beautiful child  
Grazie - Thank you  
carissima - dearest
> 
> Thank you all for reading, and I hope at least some of you recognize the source of this chapter's title.


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